Press door lock for cotton gins



Feb. 16, 1965 B. M. STRIBLING 3,159,472

PRESS DOOR LOCK FOR COTTON GINS Filed Aug. 30, 1963 a Sheets-Sheet 1 B. M. STRIBLING PRESS DOOR LOCK FOR COTTON GINS Feb. 16, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 30, 1963 AIR COMP ZEEZ I s m 5 4 w m v W 505 M 873/54 lNG,

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Feb. 16, 1965 B. M. STRIBLING PREss DOOR LOCK FOR COTTON ems Filed Aug. 30, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 s GZEGZZW M a F V, F 8

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BY MM -Em United States Patent Filed Aug. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 305,756 8 Claims. (Cl. 10G53) This invention relates to fiber baling presses, and more particularly to an improved door locking mechanism for a fiber baling press. V

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved door locking mechanism for a baling press of the type employed to compress fibrous material, such as cotton, orthe like, the mechanism being relatively simple in construction, being easy to operate, and not re- 7 quiring the use of any electric motors.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved door locking mechanism for a cotton baling press, the mechanism involving relatively inexpensive components, being reliable in operation, being substantially free of all fire hazards, and providing sufficient locking force to maintain the door of the press closed during the operation of the press.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved door locking mechanism for a cotton baling press, said mechanism employing compressed air as the control medium and employing hydraulic liquid as the means to apply the locking force, the mechanism being free of fire hazards since it does not employ any electric motors, being smooth and flexible in operation because of the use of compressed air as the control medium, and being arranged so that the door can be quickly and easily unlocked when desired.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the end portion of a cotton baling press provided with improved door locking means constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic diagram showing the fluid connections of the door locking system employed in FIG- URE 1. v

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional View taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3. V I

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken through the cooperating elements of the fluid pressure-operated air charging and venting valve assembly employed in the system of FIGURE 2 to charge a compression tank of the system with compressed air when the press door is to be locked and to vent said tank to atmosphere when the press door is to be released, the assembly being shown in open venting position.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, similar to FIGURE 5, but showing the valve assembly in closed position, sealing the receiving member of the assembly from atmosphere and thereby charging the compression tank of the associated system with compressed air.

In the process of ginning cotton, the'cotton is delivered to a cotton press wherein the ginned cotton is compressed in a large container and is compressed into bale size. In FIGURE 1, 11 generally designates a press of this type, which is of substantially conventional construction, and which comprises a stationary frame upon which is mounted a rotary base 12. The ginned cotton is compressed in press boxes 13 mounted on base 12, and the pressure applied thereto by the press is sufiicient to compress the cotton so that a press box contains a bale of approximately 500 pounds. By means of the rotary base 12, the boxes may be rotated and after one bale has 2 been formed an empty press box may be placed under the compression member of the press for forming the next bale.

The filled press box has metal ties 15 secured around it so as to hold the compressed cotton.

In order to facilitate the removal of the compressed V cotton from the press box, each press box istprovided with a hinged side wall 16 secured on a frame 17, the frame and door assemblies being swingable on .vertical hinge rods 18, and being further provided with suitable latch means, presently to be described, for holding each door 16 closed while the working pressure is applied to the cotton within the associated box 13.

Each box 13 is provided with a vertically hinged locking yoke 17 comprising convergent vertically spaced bar elements 20 and 21 hinged at their rear ends, as viewed in FIGURE 1 to vertically spaced portions of the corner of the associated box assembly as shown at 18 and 19. Connecting the forward ends of the bars 20 and 21, as viewed in FIGURE 1, is a vertical lock rod 22, the end of the bar element 20 being provided at the top of the lock rod 22 with an outwardly projecting handle 23.

A vertical cross plate 24 is rigidly secured transversely to the ends of the longitudinally extending top and bottom bar elements 15' and 16' of the door frame 17, and secured to the vertical plate member 24 between the levels of the bar members 20 and 21 projecting rearwardly from the plate 24 is a hydraulic locking cylinder 26, which is thus mounted horizontally on the tie bar assembly so as to be located at the front longitudinal side of the press box 13, as viewed in FIGURE 1 when the door assembly is in closed position. The cylinder 26 is'provided with the piston 27 which has an external abutment portion adapted to exert tight clamping force on and thereby to be lockingly engageable with the vertical lock bar 22 when the door 16 is in said closed position. Thus, when hydraulic fluid under pressure is admitted into the rear 7 portion of the cylinder 26, the piston 27 is urged outwardly into clamping and locking engagement with the lock rod 22, thus holding the door 16 closed. When the hydraulic fluid is released from the cylinder 26, the piston 27 is disengageable from the lock rod 22, and the door 16 can be released for opening by swinging the yoke 17f outwardly around the vertical axis of the hinge elements 18 and 19, by means of the handle 23.

It will be thus apparent that the locking rod 22 is carried by the yoke structure 17', whereas the locking cylinder 25 is carried by the door frame structure defined by the front tie bar assemblies 15 and 16' and the vertical connecting plate 24.

An auxiliary vertical connecting plate 30 is rigidly secured between the top and bottom frame bars 15 and 16', serving as a strengthening means for the door frame assembly and as a mounting plate for various elements of the door locking control mechanism, presently to be described.

Mounted on the vertical plate 30 is a hydraulic fluid compression tank 31 containing a quantity of hydraulic fluid, such as oil 32. The tank 31 is vertically mounted, and connected to the bottom end of the tank is one end of a hydraulic liquid conduit 33 which is connected through the vertical branch of a T-fitting 34 and through a check valve 35 to one of the bottom connecting conduits 36 of a three-way valve assembly 37, as shown in FIGURE 4. The horizontal stem portion of the T-fitting 34 is connected by a conduit 38 to another bottom port connecting conduit 39 of the three-way valve assembly 37.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the three-way valve assembly 37 comprises a rectangular housing 40 having a front wall 41 which is provided with a conduit fitting 42 at its intermediate portion, said conduit fitting being connected to one end of a conduit 43 whose opposite end Patented Feb. 16, 1965 is connected to the rear end portion of the hydraulic lock cylinder 26. Slidably mounted in the housing 1s a rectangular valve block 44 having a horizontal intermediate groove 45 which is registrable in all adjusted.

positions thereof with the conduit fitting 42, and which communicates with respective vertical passages 46 and 47 which are respectively registrable with the connection conduits 36 and 39.

Secured to oneside edge of the block 44 is a horizontal operating rod 48 which extends slidably'through an aperture 49'formed in a side wall of the housing 48, the rod 48 being provided on its outer end with an operating knob 50. plate 36, and the knob 50 is exposed externally of the plate 30 so that it can be manually operated.

As shown in FIGURE 4, when the knob 59 is pushed inwardly, namely, to its extreme rightward position, the passage 46 registers with the'conduit fitting 36, so that hydraulic fluid from the tank 31 can flow through con-.

duit 33 and check valve 35 into the conduit 43 and thence into the rear end portion of the cylinder 26. However, no rearward flow of the liquid is permitted, since the check valve 35 allows only forward flow therethrough, namely, toward the cylinder 26. When the knob 59 is pulled outward, namely,'leftward, as viewed in FIGURE 4, the passage 47 registers with the conduit fitting 39, thereby connecting the bypass conduit 38 to the cylinder 26, establishing a bypass channel around the check valve 35, whereby hydraulic liquid can flow from the cylinder back through the conduit 33 into the tank 31.

A spring-pressed ball detent 51 is provided in the top wall of the housing 40, said ball detent being yieldably engageable in respective recesses 52and 53 formed in the top edge of the block 44, whereby to releasably lock the block 44 in either of the two above described positions of passage registration, namely, either the position shown in FIGURE 4, or in the position wherein the passage 47 registers with the conduit fitting 39.

Connected to the top end of the tank 31 at a fitting 54 is a compressed air line 55,'which in turn is connected by a flexible hose section 55 to the outlet conduit fitting 56 of the lower portion 57 of a pressure-responsive air connection valve 58. An air compressor 66 is connected through a compressed air supply conduit 61to the stationary top portion 62 of the pressure-responsive air valve 58, a manually controlled valve 63 and respective filter units 64 and 65 being provided in the compressed air supply 1ine'61, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The top portion 62 is rigidly secured to the stationary frame 19 in a position vertically registrable with the lower portion '57 carried by each press box 13 when the base 12 has been rotated to a position wherein the box is properly located under the compression member of the press for forming a bale.

The control valve 63 is of a conventional type which includes an apertured plunger 66 normally biased to a non-registering position by a coiled spring 67, the valve having an actuating knob 68 which may be pushed inwardly to move the aperture 69 of the plunger 66 into registry with opposing ports provided in the main body of the valve 63, said ports being connected to the compressed air line 61, so that compressed air is allowed to pass through the valve. The valve 63 closes automatically upon release of the plunger knob 68.

The unit 64 is a conventional filter unit, and the unit 65 is a conventional air line oiler, the units 64 and 65 cooperating to remove all particles of dust or other foreign material from the air passing through the pressure line 61 and to add 'oil to the compressed air line.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the connector valve assembly 58 comprises the upper body 62 and the registering lower body 57, the lower body being formed with a central bore 70 which communicates with a laterally extending passage 71 in the end of which the conduit fitting 56 is connected. The body 57 is formed at the The rod 48 also extends through the vertical top end of the bore 76 with an enlarged seat 72 in which is secured an annular sealing gasket 73 of rubber or other suitable resilient deformable material.

The upper member 62 of valve 58 comprises the cylindrical main body 74 provided at its top end with a central conduit fitting 75 to which the compressed air supply line 61 is'connected. An annular disc 76 is secured in the bottom end of the cylindrical body 74, being retained in position by a snap ring 77, as shown in FIGURE 5. A tubular plunger rod 78 extends centrally through the annular disc 76, being freely slidable therein, the top end of the tubular rod 78 having threadedlysecured thereon a piston 79- which is formed with a peripheral groove 80 in which is seated an annular resilient deformable sealing ring 81 which makes sealing sliding contact with the inside surface of the cylindrical body 74. A coiled spring 82 surrounds the rod 78, hearing between the piston 79 and the annular disc 76. The rod 78 extends loosely through the disc 76, suificient clearance space being allowed to permit air to freely pass between the central aperture of the disc 76 and the rod 78.

The lower portion of the rod 73 is integrally formed with an outwardly projecting fiat annular flange 84, the rod being tapered downwardly below the flange 84, as shown at 85, whereby to define a frusto conical seating portion adapted to engage sealingly in the annular ring 73 in the top end of the lower valve body member 57.

When compressed air is admitted into the top portion of the cylindrical body 74, pressure builds up in the top portion of said body, because of the relatively restricted size of the central bore 86 of the tubular rod 78, cans ing the piston 79 to be driven downwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 5 to the closed position shown in FIGURE 6, wherein the bange 84 abuts against the top of the lower valve body member 57, with the frustoconical lower end portion of rod 78 sealingly engaged inside the resilient deformable ring member 73. This establishes a compressed air-transmitting connection be tween the conduit 61 and the conduit 55 for a sufiicient period of time to force hydraulic fluid from the tank 31 through the check valve 35 and the manually controlled valve 37 into the conduit 43 and from thence into the cylinder 26 to move the piston 27 into locking engagement with the rod 22. As previously mentioned, the check valve 35 will maintain the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder 26 to hold the piston 27 in locking position.

It will be noted that the piston 79 is of substantial area so that the force exerted thereon by the compressed air will maintain the piston 79 in its lowered position, shown in FIGURE 6, since the compressed air is acting against atmospheric pressure on the underside of the piston. The unbalance in pressure on the opposite sides of the piston 79 is sufiicient to overcome the force of the compressed spring'82 and to therefore hold the valve rod 78 in its lowered sealing position, shown in FIGURE 6. Upon release of the knob 68, the valve 63 closes, but the compressed air is trapped in the top portion of the chamber 74 fora period of time which is dependent upon the amount of leakage between the piston 79 and the inside surface of the cylindrical body 74. Because of this leakage, after a short period of time the pressure in the top portion of the chamber 74 will drop sutficiently to allow the spring 82 to expand and to elevate the rod 78 to an unsealing position with respect to the lower member 57 of the valve assembly 58.

When the door 16 is to be released, the knob 50 is pulled outwardly, namely, towards the left, as viewed in FIGURE 4, moving the passage 47 into registry with the conduit fitting 39 and allowing the hydraulic fluid to flow freely from the rear portion of the cylinder 26 into the tank 31 through the bypass conduit 38, the top portion of the tank 31 being vented by the elevation of the tubular plunger rod 78. This releases the lock rod 22 and allows the door 16 to be opened.

While a specific embodiment of an improved baling ell press door lock has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a baling press, a press box enclosure having a vertically hinged door frame structure and a fixed wall frame structure, said door frame structure being hinged to one end of the fixed wall frame structure and be ng swingable to a closing position adjacent the other end of the fixed wall frame structure, said other end of the fixed wall frame structure having a pair of' vertically spaced bar elements hinged thereto, a vertical lock rod secured between said spaced barelements, a hydraulic locking cylinder mounted horizontally on said door frame structure, a piston in said cylinder, said piston having an external abutment portion lockingly engageable with said lock rod when said door frame structure is in closed position, a hydraulic compressor cylinder connected to said locking cylinder and containing hydraulic fluid, check valve means between said compressor cylinder and said locking cylinder allowing hydraulic fluid to fiow only toward said locking cylinder, means to at times by-pass said check valve means, a compressed air line, air controlled pressure-responsive valve means, and conduit means including a control valve connecting said compressed air line to said compressor cylinder through said air controlled valve means, said air controlled valve means being provided with means to allow compressed air trapped therein to escape to atmosphere at a restricted rate when said control valve is closed.

2. In a baling press, a press box enclosure having a vertically hinged door frame structure and a fixed wall frame structure, said door frame structure being hinged to one end of the fixed wall frame structure and being swingable to a closing position adjacent the other end of the fixed wall frame structure, said other end of the fixed wall frame structure having a pair of vertically spaced bar elements hinged thereto, a vertical lock rod secured between said spaced bar elements, a hydraulic locking cylinder mounted horizontally on said door frame pressed air line to said compressor cylinder through said 7 air controlled valve means, said air controlled valve means being provided with means to allow compressed air trapped therein to escape to atmosphere at a restricted rate when said control valve is closed, a release valve, and bypass conduit means connecting said locking cylinder to said compressor cylinder through said release valve.

3. In a baling press, a press box enclosure having a vertically hinged door frame structure and a fixed wall frame structure, said door frame structure being hinged to one end of the fixed wall frame structure and being swingable to a closing position adjacent the the other end of the fixed wall frame structure, said other end of the fixed wall frame structure having a pair of vertically spaced bar elements hinged thereto, a vertical lock rod secured between said spaced bar elements, a hydraulic locking cylinder mounted horizontally on said door frame structure, a piston in said cylinder, said piston having an external abutment portion lockingly engageable with said lock rod when said door frame structure is in closed position, a hydraulic compressor cylinder containing hydraulic fluid, a three-way valve having a first port, a

second port, and a third port and including means to selectively connect said first port to saidsecond and third ports, conduit means including acheck valve connecting said compressor cylinder to said locking cylinder through said first and second ports, and a bypass conduit connected around said check valve through the third port, a compressed air line, aircontrolled valve means, and conduit means including a control valve connecting said compressed air line to said compressor cylinder through said air controlled valve means, said air controlled valve means being provided with means to allow compressed air trapped therein to escape to atmosphere at a restricted rate when said control valve is closed. a

4. In a baling press, a press box enclosure having a vertically hinged door frame structure and a fixed wall frame structure, said door frame structure being hinged to one end of the fixed wall frame structure and being swingable to a closing position adjacent the other end of the fixed wall frame structure, said other end of the fixed wall frame structure having a pair of vertically spacedbar elements hinged thereto, a vertical lock rod secured between said spaced bar elements, a hydraulic locking cylinder mounted horizontally on said door frame structure, a piston in said cylinder, said piston having an external abutment portion lockingly engageable with said lock rod when said door frame structure is in closed position, a hydraulic compressor cylinder containing hydraulic fluid, a three-way valve having a first port connected to said locking cylinder, a second part, and a third port and including means to selectively connect said first port to said second and third ports, conduit means including a check valve connecting said compressor cylinder to said second port, and a bypass conduit connected between said conduit means and third port in bypassed relation to said check valve, a compressed air line, air controlled valve means, and conduit means including a control valve connecting said compressed air line to said compressor cylinder through said air 'controlled valve means, said air controlled valve means being provided with means to allow compressed air trapped therein to escape to atmosphere at a restricted rate when said control valve is closed.

5. In a bailing press, a press box enclosure having a vertically hinged door frame structure and a fixed wall frame structure, said door frame structure being hinged to one end of the fixed wall frame structure and being swingable to a closing position adjacent the other end of the fixed wall frame structure, said other end of the fixed wall frame structure having a pair of vertically spaced bar elements hinged thereto, a vertical lock rod secured between said spaced bar elements, a hydraulic locking cylinder mounted horizontally on said door frame structure, a piston in said cylinder, said piston having an external abutment portion lockingly engageable with said lock rod when said door frame structure is in closed position, a hydraulic compressor cylinder connected to said locking cylinder and containing hydraulic fluid, check 'value means between said compressor cylinder and said locking cylinder allowing hydraulic fluid to flow only toward said locking cylinder, means to at times by-pass said check valve means, a compressed air line, air control valve means, and conduit means connecting said compressed air line to said compressor cylinder through said air control valve means, said air control valve means comprising a manually controlled valve and fluid pressureresponsive vent valve means connected in series between said compressed air line and said conduit means, said vent valve means having a normally open vent port to vent the compressor cylinder to atmosphere but closing said vent port responsive to the admission of compressed air into the compressed air line, said vent valve means being provided with means to allow compressed air trapped therein to escape to atmosphere at a restricted rate when said manually controlled valve is closed.

6. In a bailing press, a press box enclosure having a verwall frame structure, said other end of the fixed wall frame structure having a pair of vertically spaced bar elements hinged thereto, a vertical lock rod secured between said spaced bar elements, a hydraulic locking cylinder mounted horizontally on said door frame structure, a piston in said cylinder, said piston having an external abutment portion lockingly engageable with said lock rod when said door frame structure is in closed position, a hydraulic, compressor cylinder containing hydraulic fluid, a three-way valve having a first port connected to said locking cylinder, a second port, and a third port and including means to selectively connect said first port to said second and third ports, conduit means including a check valve connecting said compressor cylinder to said second port, and a bypass conduit connected between said conduit means and third port in bypassed relation to said check valve, a compressed air line, air control valve means, and conduit means connecting said compressed air line to said compressor cylinder through said air control valve means, said air control valve means comprising a manually controlled valve and fluid pressure-responsive vent valve means connected in series between said compressed air line and said conduit means, said vent valve means having a normally open vent port to vent the compressor cylinder to atmosphere but closing said vent port responsive to the admission of compressed air into the compressed air line, said vent valve means being provided with means to allow compressed air trapped therein to escape to atmosphere at a restricted rate when said manually controlled valve is closed.

' 7. In a baling press, a press box enclosure having a vertically hinged door frame structure and a fixed wall frame structure, said door frame structure being hinged to one end of the fixed wall frame structure and being swingable to a closing position adjacent the other end of the fixed wall frame structure, a vertical lock rod on said otherend of the fixed wall frame structure, hydraulic locking means on said door frame structure lockingly engageable with said lock rod when the door frame structure is in closed position, a hydraulic compressor cylinder operatively connected to said hydraulic locking means and containing hydraulic fluid, check valve means between said compressor cylinder and said hydraulic locking means and allowing hydraulic fluid to flow only toward said locking means, means to at times by-pass said check valve means, a compressed air line, air-controlled pressurerresponsive valve means, and conduit means including a control valve connecting said compressed air line to said compressor cylinder through said air-controlled valve means, said air controlled valve'means being provided with means to allow compressed air trapped therein to escape to atmosphere at a restricted rate when said control valve is closed.

8. In a baling press, a stationary main frame, a press;

box enclosure rotatably mounted on said main frame, said press box enclosure having a vertically hinged door, said door being hinged to one end of the press box enclosure and being swingable to a closed position adjacent the other end of the enclosure, a vertical lock rod on said other end of the enclosure, hydraulic locking means on said door lockingly engageable withsaid lock rod when the door is in closed position, a hydraulic compressor cylinder operatively connectedto said hydraulic locking means and containing hydraulic fluid, check valve means between said compressor cylinder and said hydraulic locking means and allowing hydraulic fluid to flow only toward said locking means, means to at times by-pass said check valve means, a compressed air line on the main frame, a receiving valve member on said press box enclosure communicatively connected to said compressor cylinder, a fluid pressure-responsive movable connector valve member mounted on said main frame in a position to sealingly and communicatively engage with said receiving valve member when the press box enclosure is in a predetermined rotated position on said main frame, a casing containing said movable valve member,;

means biasing said movable valve member away from sealing position relative to said receiving valve member, means to move said movable member into. sealing engagement with said receiving valve member responsive to the admission of compressed air into said casing, meansincluding a control valve to communicatively connect said casing to said compressed air line, and means to allow compressed air trapped in said casing to escape to atmosphere at a restricted rate when said control valve is closed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BALING PRESS, A PRESS BOX ENCLOSURE HAVING A VERTICALLY HINGED DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE AND A FIXED WALL FRAME STRUCTURE, SAID DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE BEING HINGED TO ONE END OF THE FIXED WALL FRAME STRUCTURE AND BEING SWINGABLE TO A CLOSING POSITION ADJACENT TO OTHER END OF THE FIXED WALL FRAME STRUCTURE, SAID OTHER END OF THE FIXED WALL FRAME STRUCTURE HAVING A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED BAR ELEMENTS HINGED THERETO, A VERTICAL LOCK ROD SECURED BETWEEN SAID SPACED BAR ELEMENTS, A HYDRAULIC LOCKING CYLINDER MOUNTED HORIZONTALLY ON SAID DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE, A PISTON IN SAID CYLINDER, SAID PISTON HAVING AN EXTERNAL ABUTMENT PORTION LOCKINGLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LOCK ROD WHEN SAID DOOR FRAME STRUCTURE IS IN CLOSED POSITION, A HYDRAULIC COMPRESSOR CYLINDER CONNECTED TO SAID LOCKING CYLINDER AND CONTAINING HYDRAULIC FLUID, CHECK 